The Kansas Highway Patrol said the three deaths over the weekend in Osage, Geary and Sheridan counties were more than died in deer-related crashes in Kansas during all of 2012.

"To get three fatal crashes involving deer is quite uncommon, especially in one day," said Lt. Paul Beam of the Kansas Highway Patrol

Travis Sanders, 23, of Lawrence, was killed in Osage County, but not by the collision with the deer. He got out of the car to check the damage and was struck by another vehicle. Something similar happened in the Geary County crash. The driver in Sheridan County crashed after his truck rolled over while he swerved to avoid a deer.

"If you feel the need that you have to get out of the vehicle, always be mindful of the approaching traffic into your area," Beam said.

Neil Tucker said he found himself on a collision course with a deer a week ago.

"All of sudden -- it was like slow motion -- I see this beautiful deer come up out of no where and just slam right into the windshield," he said. "I didn't have time to do anything. It just hit and just blasted me."

Beam said drivers who see a deer cross their path are probably better off hitting it than trying to swerve to avoid it. Drivers who swerve often lose control, driving off the road or into another car.

Deer are most active at dawn and dusk, and the number of deer is usually highest in late October and throughout November. Beam said deer also usually travel in groups, so if you see one, you're likely to see more.

Troopers said that 15 percent of all crashes in Kansas last year involved someone hitting a deer.

IN ONE DAY MORE PEOPLE IN KANSAS WERE KILLED IN DEER RELATED TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS THAN "ALL" OF LAST YEAR. THREE COUNTIES AND THREE SERERATE DEATHS...IN EACH ONE ...DEER PLAYED A FACTOR KMBC NINE'S SCOTT MCDONNELL IS LIVE WITH THE DANGER FOR DRIVERS ... DEER ARE ON THE MOVE ... ITS INEVITABLE .... BUT TAKE A LOOK CARS GOING 60 - 70 MPH...A DEER RUNS INFRONT OF YOU...YOU'LL HAVE TO MAKE SMART DECESIONS. WE SPOKE TO EXPERTS ON WHAT TO DO BEFORE AND AFTER A DEER CROSSES YOUR PATH. ONE DAY AND THREE DEATHS ALL CAUSE BY DEER RUNNING INTO TRAFFIC TO GET THREE FATAL CRASHES INVOLVING DEER IS QUITE UNCOMMON ESPECTIALLY IN ONE DAY 5AM IN SHERIDAN COUNTY A 37 YEAR OLD MAN SWERVES TO HIT A DEER AND ROLLS HIS TRUCK OVER.....HE WASN'T WEARING A SEATBELT AND DIED. 7:08 PM IN OSAGE COUNTY 23 YEAR OLD TRAVIS SANDERS OF LAWRENCE HIT A DEER THEN GOT OUT OF HIS TOYOTA...HE WAS STRUCK BY AN ONCOMING JEEP. 8:47 PM IN GEARY COUNTY. ONE CAR HITS A DEER... WHILE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD ANOTHER VEHICLE SMASHES INTO IT..SENDING IN THE PROCESS KILLING A PEDESTRIAN. HIGHWAY PATROL IN KANSAS URGE FOLKS TO CALL 911... IF YOU FEEL THE NEED THAT YOU HAVE TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE ALWAYS BE MINDFUL OF THE APPROACHING TRAFFIC INTO YOUR AREA NEIL TUCKER FROM THE KMBC NEWSROOM FOUND HIMSELF IN THIS SITUATION ONE WEEK AGO. ALL OF SUDDEN IT WAS LIKE SLOW MOTION I SEE THIS BEAUTIFUL DEER COME UP OUT OF NO WHERE AND JUST SLAM RIGHT INTO THE WINDSHIELD AT 65 MILES PER HOUR DAMAGE TO THE TRUCK WAS SUBASTANTIAL.. I I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE TIME TO DO ANYTHING IT JUST HIT AND JUST BLASTED ME BUT IF YOU DO FIND YOURSELF STARING DOWN A DEER ON THE ROADS WITH TIME TO REACT.... STATISCALLY SPEAKING ITS BETTER TO NOT SWERVE OR TRY TO AVOID THE DEER STAY STRAIGHT ...AN THERES MORE OF A CHANCE TO WALK AWAY.. DEER TRAVEL IN GROUPS ...IF YOU SEE ONE THERE WILL MOST LIKELY BE MORE CLOSE BY. THEY MOVE THE MOST AT DUSK AND DAWN... LAST YEAR THERE WERE OVER 8500 ACCIDENTS INVOLVING DEER IN KANSAS...ACCOUNTING FOR 15